Aston Villa have surged momentarily into second place in the Premier League table after a commanding 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest at Villa Park. The win, secured on January 3, 2026, marks an incredible 11th consecutive home triumph for Unai Emery's side.
Match Report: Watkins and McGinn Fire Villa to Victory
The deadlock was broken on the stroke of half-time by the in-form Ollie Watkins. After receiving a clever pass from Morgan Rogers, the striker created space and unleashed a powerful drive from outside the box to beat goalkeeper John Victor.
Villa started the second half with the same intensity, doubling their lead just four minutes after the restart. Captain John McGinn arrived perfectly at the back post to meet Matty Cash's cross from the right, guiding the ball home.
Forest found a route back into the game on the hour mark. Morgan Gibbs-White latched onto a through ball from Dilane Bakwa and showed superb composure to lift his finish over the advancing Emi Martinez.
Any hopes of a comeback were extinguished in the 73rd minute, courtesy of a catastrophic error from Forest's keeper. Victor raced out of his goal in a misjudged attempt to intercept a long pass from Youri Tielemans, leaving McGinn with the simple task of rolling the ball into an empty net for his brace.
Player Ratings: Top Marks for Villa's Leaders
John Townley's post-match ratings reflected a strong team performance. Captain John McGinn earned a 9/10 for his match-winning double, demonstrating his crucial influence in the final third.
Ollie Watkins, who has now scored four goals in his last three matches, received an 8 for his superb opener and constant threat. Key orchestrator Youri Tielemans also impressed with an 8, having been involved in the build-up to all three Villa goals.
The defensive unit was largely solid, with Ezri Konsa praised for his composure and awarded an 8. Goalkeeper Emi Martinez recovered from being beaten by Gibbs-White to make a crucial late save, earning a 7.
Historical Context and League Implications
This result extends Villa's impressive home record against Nottingham Forest. They are now unbeaten in their last seven Premier League meetings at Villa Park, winning the last six consecutively. Their last home defeat to Forest dates back to October 1994.
Furthermore, the victory means Aston Villa have won their opening league game in consecutive calendar years for the first time since the 2008-09 season. The three points provide a significant boost in their quest for Champions League qualification, applying pressure to their rivals at the top of the table.
